Chapter 82
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Chapter 82: Level 10, Part-Time Job
In a small garden behind the school building, Zhang Yu was practicing the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand, his motions so swift and powerful they whistled through the air.
Just then, a teacher suddenly shot out from the side and demanded, “What grade and class are you in? What’s your name? Why are you here during class time? Skipping class?”
Zhang Yu replied calmly, “I’m Zhang Yu from First-Year, Class 1. I came out during math class to practice my martial arts.”
Hearing Zhang Yu’s name, the teacher’s stern demeanor immediately softened. Upon learning it was math class he had skipped, any trace of seriousness vanished from his face.
Can skipping math class even be counted as skipping class? If you had not even skipped a general education class like math for your cultivation, could you still be considered a top student at Songyang High School?
After confirming that First-Year, Class 1 was indeed in math class at that time, the teacher nodded and said, “There are 27 minutes left until the bell. Make sure you hurry back after class so you don’t miss the next one.”
After the teacher left, Zhang Yu resumed his silent practice of the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand.
Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand Level 9 (89/90).
He had not practiced this martial art in math class because his progress in it was too rapid, and he did not want to draw attention in the classroom.
As he completed the final move, the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand instantly advanced to Level 10.
In that moment, countless martial arts insights and practice memories surged through Zhang Yu’s mind, bringing his understanding of the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand, as well as grappling and throwing techniques, to a peak.
At the same time, he sensed the effects of the Level 10 Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand.
When he executed the technique again, he could accurately perceive his own center of gravity.
Zhang Yu realized that if he wished, he could also sense his opponent’s center of gravity and use the methods of the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand to instantly disrupt it, throwing his opponent to the ground.
“I get it. I can trip anyone and they will fall.”
“It truly is a pure combat martial art.”
“And it feels… quite compatible with my Limitless Cloud Hands and Indestructible Seal Technique… doesn’t it?”
As streams of white Gang Qi erupted from his palms, Zhang Yu, with his mastery of Level 10 Limitless Cloud Hands and Level 10 Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand, he could vaguely sense that he could combine these two martial arts.
“By substituting the Formless Cloud Gang Qi for the explosive power of my hands… I can perform grappling and throwing techniques from a distance.”
A sudden realization struck Zhang Yu. “Although the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand is driven by pure physical force, this is not a flaw but an advantage.”
“This means that in the future, a cultivator can integrate various powerful forces into the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand, whether it is Gang Qi, palm power, or fist power.”
“This martial art is like a large framework that one can slot countless other combat arts…”
In that moment, Zhang Yu understood the far-sightedness behind Song Hailong’s cultivation of this art. It was not just suitable for Song Hailong now, allowing him to use it immediately, but it also laid the foundation for future growth in combat power.
“I wonder if he figured this out himself, or if it was planned by his family or tutors.”
***
Dinnertime.
In the cafeteria.
Every student was earnestly digging into their food. After all, whether they attended one of the top three schools, a Key High School, or an ordinary high school, students were always enthusiastic about eating.
Yet faintly, one could sense a palpable resentment hanging over the cafeteria. This was a collective grumbling over the quality of the meals.
Bai Zhenzhen walked through the cafeteria hall with her tray. Though strikingly beautiful, her icy demeanor made her seem unapproachable to the other students.
As soon as she sat down, she began to complain, “Half the counters have switched to selling synthetic food, and the remaining pre-prepared meals have all gone up in price. Those bastards!”
Clearly, as the Oasis Group’s influence grew, synthetic food was being aggressively promoted throughout Songyang City, and it had quietly made its way into the high school cafeteria.
Bai Zhenzhen turned to Zhao Tianxing and Qian Shen, declaring, “We absolutely cannot buy synthetic food. We have to boycott it fiercely and make them bleed money!”
“Is synthetic food even something humans should eat?”
“And who knows what they’re putting in it…”
As Bai Zhenzhen spoke, she saw Zhang Yu sit down with them, holding a large plate of a mushy substance. The trio stared in astonishment.
Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise, “Yu Zi! How can you eat this? Weren’t you opposed to synthetic food?”
Zhang Yu replied matter-of-factly, “The cafeteria is having a promotion today with free tastings of synthetic food.”
Bai Zhenzhen immediately stood up. “I have to see for myself how unpalatable this synthetic food is.”
She approached the synthetic food window and heard the cafeteria Aunty at the counter introducing the options. “This is meat paste, this is vegetable paste, and this is rice paste. After you choose those, you pick your flavor profile. We have Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Seafood Delight, and more.”
After a while, Bai Zhenzhen returned to her seat with the free synthetic food. After taking a bite, she looked shocked. “Is this synthetic food?”
She could not fathom what kind of immortal path technology had been used, but she found that it was not just the taste and aroma. Even the texture was 70-80% similar to real prepackaged meals.
Bai Zhenzhen clearly remembered the Aunty scooping out various pastes, but after they were mixed with the flavoring agents, they developed different textures. Some felt like fatty meat, others like vegetable leaves, and some like fish…
This was nothing like the synthetic food she had eaten before.
Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise, “Has there been a breakthrough in the related immortal path technology?”
Zhang Yu mused from the side, “As expected, these big companies never make unprofitable moves. They wouldn’t dare release this to compete with prepackaged meals unless they were confident in their product.”
“This stuff tastes good, it’s convenient, and it’s cheap. In the future, I fear there will be fewer and fewer places in Songyang City selling prepackaged meals.”
Zhao Tianxing sighed. “Won’t that mean many prepackaged meal factories will go bankrupt? And a lot of people will lose their jobs?”
As they ate and talked, Zhang Yu noticed that Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing seemed to have something on their minds, so he asked them about it.
Qian Shen sighed and explained that he, Zhao Tianxing, and three other first-year students had been recruited into the Competition Team.
With a look of shame, Qian Shen said, “Sigh… we joined the Competition Team ahead of you even though our scores are lower. I feel unworthy of it.”
Zhao Tianxing also looked nervously at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.
Among classmates, being accepted into the Competition Team had always created another level of campus hierarchy, enough to make friends as close as brothers turn on each other.
If a student with lower scores snatched a spot on the competition team from someone with higher scores, it would be seen as a grave injustice. It could be enough to spark a vicious campaign of school bullying that might very well end with someone jumping off a building.
Ever since the physical education class, Zhao Tianxing had been worried that Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen might hold a grudge.
As someone who genuinely cared about what others thought, Zhao Tianxing was very worried that people might mistakenly think he had used underhanded tactics to secure his spot on the team.
However, Zhang Yu simply listened to their concerns and smiled faintly. “It’s alright. We already know what happened. It’s s those rat bastards in the Student Council meddling.”
He then explained the competition scheduled for a month from now.
Zhang Yu continued, “From now on, we’ll each focus on our cultivation. In a month, we’ll compete based on our physical education scores to see who gets to join the competition.”
Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing both felt a great sense of relief to hear that the matter would ultimately be settled by scores.
As expected, we high school students still need to let scores do the talking, they both thought.
***
After dinner, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen left school together, planning to take the subway to Bailong High School.
On the way, Bai Zhenzhen said, “I’ve worked out a deal with Song Hailong. We’ll train with him twice a week for two hours each session. He’ll pay you 5,000 yuan per session and me 2,000.”
Zhang Yu’s spirits lifted. “5,000 yuan per session? That’s 10,000 a week, which means 40,000 a month! Damn, these rich people are seriously loaded.”
Bai Zhenzhen added, “But he has a condition. If there’s ever a two-hour training session where we can’t win a single match against him, the he won’t need us anymore.”
After saying that, she turned to Zhang Yu and said, “Yu Zi, can you handle this?”
Although Zhang Yu had defeated Song Hailong in the Martial Arts Competition, that victory had relied on exploiting the out-of-bounds rule.
If his physical strength could not catch up to Song Hailong’s, or worse, if the gap between them widened further, winning would become even more difficult.
“Of course I can,” Zhang Yu said. “Little Song relies solely on his tough skin and brute strength to withstand hits. Once my physical strength gradually catches up to his, he won’t win a single match.”
“But what about you, A-Zhen? Can you handle it?”
Bai Zhenzhen snorted and patted her small belly. “I begged my Godmother for a loan to rent a Spirit Root for daily cultivation. The speed of my progress from now on… might just shock you, Yu Zi.”
At the mention of renting a Spirit Root, Zhang Yu’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of Spirit Root are you renting exactly? Can I borrow it for a spin sometime?”
Bai Zhenzhen instinctively touched her belly. “Borrow it for a spin?”
Zhang Yu replied matter-of-factly, “We’re brothers in spirit. Can’t I borrow the Spirit Root you’re renting for a spin?”
Bai Zhenzhen frowned. “Let me think about it.”
Can I really lend my Spirit Root to Yu Zi? she wondered. Is it possible? It seems it’s not completely out of the question…
Zhang Yu remarked from the side, “You’re so stingy. I’ve lent you my 100,000 yuan Talisman Register for fun multiple times.”
Bai Zhenzhen retorted angrily, “You have the nerve to say that? You only ever let me touch it and never even let me tap it a few times.”
Zhang Yu replied helplessly, “I’m afraid you’ll accidentally tap me into bankruptcy. How about I let you play with it on the way there today?”
The two boarded the subway and were lucky enough to find two seats this time.
Driven by the Ritual’s urgency, Zhang Yu seized every moment to cultivate his Mental Cultivation Technique and strengthen his Dao Heart.
Bai Zhenzhen leaned back against him, curiously exploring the Talisman Register.
Over half an hour later, they arrived at Bailong High School. After presenting the monthly pass Song Hailong had arranged for them, they headed to the agreed-upon training hall.
“Yu Zi, look. Many of them are kneeling during class. What are they doing?”
“Who knows? Maybe it’s a Bailong custom.”
When they opened the door to their training hall, they found Song Hailong already inside, doing warming up exercises.
Seeing Zhang Yu arrive, Song Hailong’s eyes lit up. He pointed at the floor and said, “Lie down.”
